Automatic coupling



F. G. KOEHLER'.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

APPLICATION map MAR-27. 1911 1,302,931 Patented May 6, 1919.

ZSHEETS-SHEET l.

F. G. KOEHLER..

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

APPLICATION EILED MALE-.1911.

1,302,931. I Patented May 6, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Til 37 onnion.

FRANK G. KOEHLER, OF ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1 919.

Application filed March 27, 1917. Serial No. 157,645.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK G. KOEHLER, a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and use- My invention relates to improvements in automatic couplers, the main object being to produce a strong, simple and reliable automatic coupling device for trucks andother vehicles.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claimshereunto appended. I

Figure I is a fragmentary plan view of a train of trucks equipped with automatic couplers constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. II is an enlarged plan view showing the end portions of two trucks and the coupling device whereby the trucks are connected.

Fig. III is a section taken approximately on the line III-III, Fig. II, showing the knuckle in its closedposition.

Fig. IV is a vertical section showing the knuckle in its open position. 7

Fig. V is an end view showing the knuckle in its closed position.

Fig. VI is a vertical section taken approximately on the line VI-VI, Fig. III.-

Fig. VII is a detail view of the connecting link.

Each truck A of the train shown in Fig. I is provided with a connecting link B at one end, and a coupling head 0 at its opposlte end. When a link B of one truck is forced into the head C of another truck, a knuckle is thrown to its closed position and automatically locked so as to couple the two trucks together.

Each coupling head is preferably secured to the end of a truck by means of bolts I. A

mnckle 1),. arranged between wing; 52 which ektend downwardly from the connecting head, is pivotally supported by a horizontal;

pivot pin 3 passing'through a hub ion the knuckle, and also through the wings 2. The coupling head has a flaring mouth 5 for the reception of the connecting link B. The knuckle comprises a substantially'L-shaped coupling hook 6 extending forwardly and upwardly relative to the horizontal axis of the pivot pin 3, a striking member 7 (Figs. III and'IV) having astriking face 7, an arcuate friction face'8 adapted to be engaged by a latchdevice I1, and a pair of abutments 9 (Figs. III, IV and VI) adapted to cooperatewithsaid latch device. The top wall of the 'flaring' mouth is slotted at 10 to re ceive the upper portion of; the striking member 7,-and thebottom wall is slotted at 11 to receivethe coupling hook 6.

When the knuckle occupies its open position (Fig. IV) the striking member 7 extends entirely across the flaring mouth 5 of the coupling head, so that its striking face 7' may be engaged by the end of a link B to throw the knuckle to the closed position shown inFig. III. When;the*knuckle is closed its coupling hook 6 extends across the fiaring'mouth 5' and interlocks with the link B (Flgs'II and III').

The gravity latch device comprises a vertically movable latch-member slidably fitted to the head O and provided with a pair of thrown to its closed position,'the latch device drops by gravity from the position shown in Fig; IV to the position shown in Fig. III where it will cooperate with the abutments 9 to lock the knuckle. The legs. 12 of the latch device then straddle a portion of the knuckle, as shown most clearly in Fig. VI. The bottom faces of the legs 12 (Figs. III and IV) are preferably wedge-shaped to allow the gravity latch to drop freely in front of the abutments 9 when the knuckle is thrown to its closed position.

One of the legs is provided with an extension 12 having a transverse retaining arm 14 which extends through an opening in the knuckle (Figs. III, IV and VI) to secure the latch device to the knuckle. An unlocking lever 15, extending into a ip at the upper end of the latch device L, is pivotally supported at 16. \Vhen the unlocking-lever is operated to lift the latchdevice, the knuckle will drop by gravity to the position shown in Fig. IV, thus releasing the coupling hook 6 from the link B. The coupling hook 6 is so heavy that it overbalances the weight of the other elements of the knuckle and causes the knuckle to move about itshorizo ntal axis to the open position shown in Fig. IV when the latch device is elevated. The movement of theknuckle is limited by thetransverseretainingarm 14 0f the-latch device, as seen in Fig. IV.

The knuckle and latch device L may be detached from the head G by removing the horizontal pivot pin 3' and permitting said knuckle and latchdevice-to drop by gravity from thehead.

The connecting link B is preferably a continuousloo'p pi-votallv mounted in bearings 17 and provided with an offset portion 18 which lies between the bearings 17 (Fig. VII). The axis of the bearings 17 is-horizontal, and the link B can swing freely on said axis without transmitting injurious shocks to any part of the coupling device. This allows the train of trucks to be pulled over a rough floor or roadway without injuring' the couplin elements. leaf spring 19 fitted to the 0 set portion 18 of the link B, normally tends tof retain said link in the operative position shown in the drawings. When the link occupies its operative position it} extends" for-watery from its pivotal support,- but when notin use it may be shifted to extend b'ackwardly' from said pivotal sup port, as suggestedby dotted lines in Fig, 111. It will be noted that the leaf spring 1'9 is adapted to cooperate with the offset portion 18' of'the link toretain the'latter in the positionto; which it is shifted.

The oute'r'end portion of the link B lies in.

the coupling head" 6 and issubjected to bending stresses and also becomes worn by frictional engagement with the coupling'hook 6 and otherel'ementsof the device. This part of the link is, therefore, enlarged, as shown inFigs. I I- and-III.

When" the=1atch deviceL islifted to open the knuckle, the transverse arm 14 at the lower end of the latch device (Fig; III) engages a cam face 20 to impart an initial or starting impulse to the knuckle. This releases the knuckle quickly and prevents it from being. retained by friction in its closed position.

Abutment lugs 21 (Figs. III and V) are formed at the inner end of the flaring mouth 5 on opposite sides of the striking member 7 to receive the inward thrusts of the link B. These lugs 21 also serve as abutments for the latch device L, the pulling stresses being transmitted from the link B to the coupling hook 6, thence through the arcuate rear portion of the knuckle to the lugs 9, latch device L and lugs 21.

1'. An automatic coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted to said head, and a gravity latch device slidably fitted to said head, said gravity latch device having a pair of legs adapted to straddle a portion of said knuckle when the latter occupies its closed position and the knuckle being provided with a pair of abutments adapted to engage said legs to lock said knuckle in its closed'position.

2., An automatic coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted to said head, and an automatic latch device for securing the knuckle in its closed position, said knuckle having an opening and the automatic latch device being provided with a retaining finger which extends intosaid opening to secure the latch device to the knuckle.

3. An automatic coupler com rising a head, a knuckle pivoted to saidhea ,the axis of the pivot being horizontal, a gravity latch device cotipera'ble with said knuckle to lock the latter in its closed position, said knuckle having a friction face upon which the'gr'avity latch device is supported when the knuckle occupies its open position, and said gravity latch device having a horizontal retaining finger which extends into said knuckle at a point below said friction face to secure the latch device to the knuckle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aflix my signature.

FRANK Gr. KOEI-ILER.

00mm at this patent may be obtained for: five cents each, by addressing the "(fommissioner of Patents.

, Washington, D. 0;" 

